Bottle closure



Feb. 16, 1932.

a. a. CAMPBELLET AL BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed Dec. 9, 1929 five]? z; 01 5.

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-- UNITED. STATES PAT method of applying same, providing for re-.

. the applicant, Ben amin G.

Patented F b. 16, 1932 ENT OFFICE" BENJAMIN G. CAMPBELL AN D OHARLES C: WING, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA BOTTLE CLOSURE Application filed December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,712.

it This invenion relates to bottle closures and taining of a protecting means or cap over the mouth of the bottle and the like, and is an improvement on the copending application of Campbell, Serial No. 184,590, filed April 18, 1927.

' The invention is described herein with relation to milk bottles since that is the relation in which it has been used by applicants, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to that use, and is adaptable to closing cylindrical cartons, sacks, bags and receptacles generally, especially the method of securing the ends of a flexible member about the open end of a receptacle.

It has been found desirable to place over the mouths of milk and similar bottles, to protect thepouring edge thereof, a' suitable cap covering retained in position by holding means, which latter is removed by the housewife when it is desired tb lift the cap or cover scratch the hands when opening the bottle, I

from the bottle mouth and pour the contents from the bottle; The holding means now employed are objectionable, as in many instances they are made of metal which may cut or and in most instances they require a tool or prying implement to release the same and often remain on the neck of the bottle when it is washed by the housewife and returned to the distributor for refilling. Th failure 1 to completely remove the holding'means from the bottle necessitates the dairyman, distributor, or filling station, as the case may be,

maintaining an attendant or operator for this purpose, and entails considerable expense, both in labor and in loss of time. Many municipalities require a top closure for milk bottles which extends over the entire top, as

distinguished from the common disk which is inserted in th bottle mouth and friction-ally held therein. j

In the related copending application above referred to, a fracturable seal is employed to maintain the binding means imposition, but.

it takes time for such a sealing means to set, which means expense, and which, if it adheres to the skirt of the cap, distorts the form of the cap skirt so that the skirt does not firmly fit the neck of the bottle when replaced. 1

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a receptacle closure and a method of applying same, adaptable to very rapid mechanical application, which, when in position, will securely hold the cap in position over the bottle mouth, and which is capable of ready removal by the housewife without the necessity of tools or implements, and which does not distort the skirt of the cap, and when released from the bottle ca is also severed from the bottle. Another object is to proaide a means of the above type which is adaptable for ready disposal by the'housewife, is extremely inexpensive in its application and use, and which does not delay the filling of the bottles, and is also eflicient for the purpose intended.

' The inventionfconsists broadly in tightly 7 vent the releasing of the wrappings, and leaving an end portion of the flexible element so 8 disposed as to afford a grip being hadthereon, whereby the flexible element may be readily disengaged from its Wound position circumferential of the skirt of the cap.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claim hereto appended, it being understoodv that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction,

'within the scope of'the claim, may be rep sorted to without departing from the s rrit or sacrificing any of the advantages 0 the invention.

Referring to the drawings forming part of the present application:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to the skirt of a sealing cap for the conventional type of m'lk bottle.

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the flexible element at the point of interengagement of its ends, with ends looped.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views of several modifications of a portion of the flexible element, showing means of securing the ends thereof.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, 1 indicates the neck of a conventional milk bottle, upper pouring edge of which is positioned a closure cap 2 of any of the conventional types, having a skirt 3 preferably pleated or crimped, as at 4, enabling the same to be tightly drawn into contact with the outer surface of the bottle neck 5.

A flexible member, prefer-ably a string 6, is wrapped or wound tightly under tension a plurality of times around the skirt 3, and the ends where they extend beyond each other are securely positioned by the engagementthereof by flexible means associated thererality of windings string are twisted upon each Figs. 4 and .5, wherein a separate flexible member is employed to position the string with in such manner that each of the end portions of the string 6 are normally releasably held against disengagement, responsive to frictional contact of the flexible windings with the cap skirt.

This is accomplished preferably by applying the primary end 7 of the flexible string in angular relation to the circumferential windings around the cap skirt so that the circumferentialwindings will lap over the priover the mouth and the tions having a leased from its tightly wound position so as to release the cap skirt b manipulating the secondary end 8 of the binding means 6, so that the cord member is freed from intertwining with the other wraps, and removing from said cap skirt the windings thereon. Or, as shown in Fig. 2, either end 7 or 8 may .be likewise released by manually pulling same.

Having thus described our invention, we claim In combination with a receptacle whose neck is externally enlarged at the. mouth thereof forming a bead, askirteol cap placed over the mouth of the receptacle with the skirt portion depending therefrom about the bottle neck, a continuous flexible cprd circumferentially wound about the skirt portion a plurality of times and having;1 a portion adjacent each its ends frictionaly and releasably engaged between a plurality of wraps of said flexible cord and the outer wall of the receptacle, each of said end porportion free of said windings whereby either of the respective end portions may be released from said engagemary string end, and after the desired pluhave been made circumferentially of the'cap secondary end 8 of the string between the plurality of circumferential windings and the cap skirt, or the circumferential windings maybe first completed, and the respective ends ral windings encircling the cap, as best shown in Fig. 2. Variations may be adapted in the manner of positioning the string ends, such as shown in Fig.3, wherein the ends of the other, and in ends;

It is awell'lmown fact that a plurality of win-dings of a rope, cord, wire or the like, around a cylindrical, prismatic or other body, absorbs in the coils around said body and in the frictional pressure against said body, the stress of tension against said cord or rope, and this principle is herein applied to practically eliminate the stress which would otherwise be present the string if a single winding were made circumferentially of the cap skirt.

With the cap in the position as in the drawings, and the member 6 retaining the same in position against the bottle neck 5, the binding member 6 may be readily and easily reskirt, inserting the I thereafter inserted under the pluagainst the fastening 0f. 

